Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — Vermont permits carryover of CLE credits, but only those earned in the second year of a biennial cycle.
Under Vermont’s MCLE Rules, credits earned in Year 2 that exceed the required total may roll into the next cycle; credits from Year 1 may not carry over.

Details & nuances

• Vermont’s “Rules for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education” do not explicitly state the carryover rule in the published text, but Vermont CLE policy summaries confirm: “Credits may be carried over from the second year of an attorney’s reporting period.”
• Vermont requires 24 credit hours every two years, including at least 2 ethics, 1 wellness, and 1 diversity & inclusion credit.
• The carryover only applies to credits earned in the second year (i.e. after satisfying the first year’s requirement).
• Vermont Bar Association’s CLE tracking and policy pages mention the carryover practice via their CLE tracking tools.

Key Takeaway
Vermont allows carryover only for excess CLE earned in the second year of a two-year cycle — first-year credits never carry forward.

Yes — judges in Indiana are subject to separate continuing judicial education (CJE) requirements distinct from the general CLE obligations for attorneys.

These judicial duties are governed under Indiana Admission and Discipline Rule 28, while general CLE is under Rule 29, and the two regimes overlap in approved credits but impose different minimums.

Details:

• Rule 29 expressly provides that attorneys who also serve as judges are governed by Rule 28 for education requirements.

Pennsylvania attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours annually, including 2 hours in ethics, professionalism, or substance abuse prevention.

Credits are assigned to one of three compliance groups; deadlines differ by group.

Details

• Total requirement: 12 credits per compliance period.

• Specialty requirement: At least 2 hours must cover ethics,

No — there is no universal requirement mandating that family law attorneys take specific CLE topics just because they practice family law.
That said, attorneys who become certified specialists or engage in specialty practice may face additional CLE obligations in family law or related areas.

• In California, the State Bar’s “legal specialist” program requires that CLE activities for specialists include certain recognized practice-area topics, including family law.
• In North Carolina, for board-certified family law specialists, at least 60 hours of CLE must be in family law (with up to 12 in related fields), and at least 9 hours per calendar year.
• In Illinois, the Illinois State Bar Association’s family law certification requires an applicant to complete a minimum of 36 hours of CLE in subjects specifically approved for family law.
• Some states maintain a list of “family relations” CLE courses approved for attorneys practicing that area. For example, Ohio has a selection of pre-approved family relations CLE programs.

Key Takeaway:
Unless the jurisdiction requires specialization, family law attorneys typically must satisfy general CLE requirements. But if they hold or seek a certification in family law, or the state imposes specialty CLE standards, then specific family law topics will be required.

Yes — in many jurisdictions, writing a legal article can qualify for CLE credit if the article is published and meets state MCLE standards.

Most states require that the article provide substantive legal analysis and be published in an approved journal, bar publication, or equivalent outlet.

Details

• CLE boards generally recognize legal writing and publishing as a form of teaching credit.
• The work must demonstrate

New York does not have a status labeled “inactive attorney” for CLE purposes; instead, attorneys who do not practice law in New York during a reporting cycle may be exempt from CLE under 22 NYCRR § 1500.5(b)(1).

If an attorney certifies as retired (under 22 NYCRR § 118.1(g)), that attorney is exempt from CLE entirely.

Details:

• All New York attorneys are presumed to practice law in the state; to claim exemption, the attorney must show they did

CLE tracks ideal for legal interns or clerks focus on foundational skills, ethics, legal research, and practice management. These programs build practical competence while preparing future attorneys for full CLE compliance after admission.

What CLE for Interns and Clerks Covers

• Legal research and writing: Case analysis, drafting, and persuasive writing skills.
• Ethics and professionalism: Confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and duties under supervision.
• Courtroom exposure: Understanding procedure, evidence basics, and trial observation.
• Practice management: Timekeeping, billing awareness, and law office technology.
• Substantive law introductions: Overviews of civil, criminal, or constitutional law depending on assignment.

Why It Matters for Legal Interns and Clerks

• Early exposure to CLE topics builds competence before bar admission.
• Practical skills training bridges the gap between academic study and practice.
• Ethical training ensures compliance even when working under attorney supervision.

Provider Support

• While CLE requirements generally apply after bar admission, accredited providers including Sprout Education offer introductory programs in ethics, research, and practice management that help interns and clerks prepare for professional practice.

Key Takeaway: Legal interns and clerks benefit most from CLE focused on research, ethics, courtroom procedure, and practice management, laying a foundation for success as future attorneys.

CLE records are verified by the bar through audits, provider-reported attendance, certificates retained by attorneys, and reconciliation against official records.
This process ensures accurate compliance and prevents fraudulent reporting.

Self-Reporting and Audits

In most jurisdictions, attorneys self-report their CLE compliance through online transcripts, affidavits, or compliance reports. Bar authorities conduct random audits to verify the accuracy of these reports. During an audit, attorneys must provide supporting documentation such as certificates of attendance, agendas, or provider confirmations.

Provider Reporting and Recordkeeping

CLE providers are generally required to keep detailed attendance rosters, registration logs,

Yes — but only in limited respects: Florida allows an extension for the Basic Skills Course Requirement (BSCR), not for the general CLE (CLER) reporting deadline.

The Florida Bar provides a BSCR Extension Request Form to defer completion of the basic skills requirement in certain hardship cases.

Details & Limitations

• The extension form explicitly states: “Please note that this is an extension form for your Basic

No — Nevada does not impose a requirement that a specified number of CLE hours be completed in a physical, in-person classroom setting.

The state’s CLE regulations allow attorneys to fulfill their annual 13-hour requirement using “live” formats (including live webinars or webcasts) or approved recorded (alternative) programs.

Details

• Nevada attorneys must complete 13 credit hours annually, including 2 ethics credits and 1 substance abuse/mental health

Yes — Ohio imposes a separate continuing judicial education (CJE) requirement for judges under Gov. Jud. R. IV, distinct from the general CLE requirement for attorneys.

Judges (full-time, part-time, acting, and eligible retired) must complete 40 hours of education every two years, including 10 hours through the Ohio Judicial College, with 3 of those hours in judicial conduct.

Details

• The Ohio Judicial College provides courses satisfying the judicial component of the requirement.
• The 40-hour requirement

Yes — Mississippi CLE rules require attorneys to complete a minimum number of in-person, live courses each year.

Under current regulation, attorneys must take 6 hours in person (i.e. classroom seminars) annually; the remaining 6 hours may be web-based (live webcast or on-demand) subject to the 6 hour limit on non-in-person credit.

Details

• The Mississippi CLE system mandates 12 total CLE hours per year, including 1 hour in ethics.
• Only up to 6 credits may be

You report CLE credits in Colorado by self-reporting them to your online CLE transcript and filing an online affidavit by January 31 following the end of your 3-year compliance period.
This process certifies credits completed by December 31 of your final compliance year.

Overview of Colorado MCLE Reporting

Colorado’s compliance period is three years. You must complete all credits by December 31 of the final year and report by January 31.
Colorado requires attorneys to use the online affidavit system and maintain an accurate online transcript.

How to Report CLE in Colorado

• Complete your required credits by December 31 of your final compliance year.
• Log into your CLETrack

Yes — in Louisiana you can report CLE late by paying a delinquency penalty and submitting the missed credits, subject to fixed deadlines. Late reporting triggers a $150 delinquency fee (plus additional penalties if you have prior noncompliance).

Here is how Louisiana handles late CLE reporting:

• CLE credits must be earned by December 31, and attorneys must report them to their transcript by January 31.
• If you fail to

Yes — Minnesota permits you to request a “credit deadline extension” if you cannot finish CLE by the August 31 reporting deadline, but you’ll still owe the late-filing fee and must show a plan for completion.

The Minnesota CLE rules allow attorneys to complete missing credits during July–August (without a formal extension) or formally request extra time via their OASIS account or in writing.

Detailed Explanation

• Minnesota attorneys must report CLE compliance by August 31 following the end of the reporting period.
• The

Yes — many jurisdictions permit attorneys on active military duty to seek a CLE waiver or exemption during their service. The specific eligibility, application process, and conditions vary by jurisdiction.

Details & Examples:

• In Illinois, attorneys serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for at least one day during a reporting period are fully

No — Arkansas’s CLE rules do not distinguish between part-time and full-time attorneys; all nonexempt attorneys must satisfy the same requirement.

Arkansas requires every attorney (unless exempt by age or years of service) to complete 12 hours of CLE annually, including at least one hour of ethics.

Details:

• Rule 3 of the Arkansas Rules for Minimum Continuing Education mandates 12 credit hours per year, with no reduced

Yes – North Dakota allows carryover of CLE credits, up to 12 hours, but ethics credits cannot be carried over.
This policy is set by the State Bar Association of North Dakota’s CLE Commission and reflected in its official materials.

Details & nuances

• Carryover cap – up to 12 excess hours from a three-year period may be carried forward to the next reporting period.
• Reduction to 12 hours – as of December 5, 2024, CLE Policy 4.4 was amended to reduce the carryover limit from 15 to 12 hours.
• Ethics exclusion – ethics or professional responsibility credits may not be carried forward as ethics credit.
• Baseline requirement – North Dakota requires 36 hours every three years, including 3 hours of ethics, which must be earned in each period regardless of any general-credit carryover.

Key Takeaway
North Dakota permits carryover of up to 12 CLE hours into the next reporting period, but ethics credits never carry over and must be earned fresh each cycle.

Yes — under South Carolina’s CLE rules, certain attorneys are exempt from the 14-hour requirement, subject to conditions and certification.

The exemptions are spelled out in SCACR Rule 408 and CLE Commission Regulations.

Details / Exceptions

• Certified specialists who meet the CLE requirements for their specialty are exempt — although they must

There is no CLE deadline in Maryland because CLE is not mandatory in that jurisdiction. Attorneys in Maryland are not required to complete or report CLE hours under the current rules.

Key Takeaway: Maryland is a “hold-out” state — missing a CLE deadline has no consequence because no such deadline exists.